A Study On Perception Of Stakeholders To Biodiversity Conservation In Lawachara National Park

Conservation of biological diversity in protected areas are largely impacted by anthropogenic pressures prevailing in the country since decades. Lawachara National Park is one of the most significant biological hotspots in Bangladesh has recently gone through a significant paradigm shift in collaborative management with local stakeholders from tradition approach of park management. The study focused on identifying specific interests and expectation from different stakeholders in park conservation, level of awareness and perception of stakeholders on biodiversity conservation, and effectiveness and weakness of the management program and activities.The study adopted focused group discussions, questionnaire survey and key informant interviews of concerned stakeholders during September-October2013. The study revealed that among7,348households in30landscape villages, about48%are found dependent on park resources for their livelihoods. Among them10%people are dependent for betel leaf cultivation and fuelwood,14%are only for fuelwood and10%involved in timber poaching illegally. Among fuelwood collectors,8%only collect for their domestic consumption, while10%both consume and sell in the marked and14%fuel wood collectors only sell in local market. Pearson Chi-square test revealed that the stakeholders involved in conservation (including FD, CMC, CPG and indigenous community) has both interests and expectations ranging from "to a large degree" as38.5%to "absolutely" as30.8%; whereas amongst the stakeholders (fuel wood collectors, encroachers, illegal tree harvesters, tea garden workers and tourists) showed least (70.8%) interests and expectation. So there seems to be a relationship between stakeholders’interest and expectations in natural resources conservation and their level of involvement.Regarding second objective of the study, respondents identified major pressures on the park;88%respondents remarked that encroachment is the most serious threat,86%identified illegal harvest of forest resources as a long-standing pressure,46%respondents remarked that newly emerged thrusts from excessive tourism is one of major pressure in the park, only4% respondents argued that the road and railway line through the park is a huge threat for wildlife and people in the park. Pearson Chi-square test revealed that the stakeholders participating in conservation (including FD, CMC, CPG, indigenous community, tea garden workers) are aware and possess positive perception ranging from’to a smaller degree’at13.3%,’to a large degree’at30%, and to’absolutely’at56.7%; whereas amongst the stakeholders who are not participating in conservation activities (including fuel wood collectors, encroachers, illegal tree harvesters, and tourists) showed least (70%) awareness and perception. So there seems to a relationship between stakeholders’level of awareness and perception with their participation in biodiversity conservation.The third objective of the study focused on the views of selected stakeholders (e.g. CPGs, fuelwood collectors, encroachers, illegal tree harvesters, tree garden workers, indigenous communities and tourists) in existing process and effectiveness of the park management led by FD and CMC-in a collaborative management regime. This management effectiveness are identified in focused group discussions, based on a set of indicators like protection, patrolling, plantation program, wildlife conservation, awareness building and livelihoods development program of dependent communities. Respondents ranked tree plantation, patrolling and protection as top three measures with76%,71%and57%effectiveness respectively; whereas FD-CMC led management is identified as less effective in terms of wildlife conservation (38%effective), awareness building (33%) and livelihood development (24%). The study also focused on identification and extent of existing management challenges, including political pressures, communication, staff strengths and incentives, pattern of illegal resource harvests, budgets, management approach etc. Further, based on identified pressures and challenges in park management, the respondents recommended for some important issues for improvement like, capacity building of FD, tourist management, comprehensive initiative for livelihood development program of dependent communities, biophysical improvement of the park through plantation of indigenous species in degraded sites, assisted natural regeneration with wildlife fodder species, strengthening CMC and CPGs, awareness program for landscape communities, and initiatives for research and participatory monitoring of park resources.With all these observation and perception studies it is revealed that strengthening co-management and its sustainability entails further input from all concerned to ensure conservation of the unique biodiversity in the park.